


I'll Be Right There

by phunWorks



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe, F/M, M/M, Psychological Torture, Slavery, Torture, dema, ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2020-10-26 12:49:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20742473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phunWorks/pseuds/phunWorks
Summary: In this world, he had no say. Why would he? There was nothing he could say, anyway, nothing that wouldn't lead to a beating or a hanging. He stood there, evaluated by the red cloaked Bishop. This one, hadn't said much, but didn't need to. Somehow, Tyler knew what he was thinking, he liked Tyler and had picked him. Without the will of his own mind, his legs followed two paces behind the cloak now facing away from him. And to the towers they walked, heads hung and eyes sullen for the boy soon to lose his mind.





	1. Don't Let Me Be Gone

Outside of a few desolate souls, the snow peppered streets were empty. The atmosphere mocking the character of the people below, clouds had overcast the small town, contributing to the smog that already covered everything in gloom. The two boys in stained baggy clothing were no external exception to the mood around them, both sets of eyes focused themselves on the stone and then dirt below their feet. Soon, the town was to their backs and dead fields surrounded their rocky path back to the farm in which they both belonged to. The curly haired boy laughed as he attempted to trip the younger with his foot. He'd once been a soccer player in his old village, a son of a baker and a house maiden. Sold as collateral and bought as a farmhand, the last four years of his life his feet hadn't felt the impact of the game. The younger was clumsier than his friend but agile all the same. He was able to catch himself, playfully hitting the back of his hand to the other's shoulder, he laughed as well. His hands, they never knew anything but labor. He was the son of a whore. A bastard and a nephew of a criminal. No one cared to learn his name, save the boy beside him. The man who'd purchased him after having his mother for a night was the son of the farm owner. The dark haired boy had been six at the time, his duties varying as he aged. At six, his hands knew soap and water, soft sponges and shaving cream for his master. At nine, his hands were calloused from chopping wood, making furniture and burned from time baking with his master's girlfriend. His hands knew a rifle at ten when his master first took him hunting. Months after those hands knew the coldness of a dead man's hand when his master had died in the night. Since his master's father took ownership, those hands had known only hardship and punishment. Both their hands and feet were now used for the same, but in their time off, they could be them. If only for a twenty minute walk from town. 

As they approached the farm, the younger reached for the other's hand. "Josh, I don't know if I can do another night." 

Josh looked over at the other, the little bit of light outlining his features, he looked terrified. The master hadn't been easy on him as of late. He didn't have to ask, "You have to, Tyler." Josh hated saying it, but he knew as well as anyone, there was no fighting when you were a slave or indentured. Only escaping, and they weren't quite ready for that. "I'll be with you, no matter what. The two of us. Soon enough, we'll be out of here." 

Tyler nodded, reminding himself it wouldn't be much longer. But would he live through to see it? With how things were going, he didn't see how much longer he actually had under his master. Soon enough he'd "disappear" as other slaves had before him. Tyler never doubted that this master hated him, he'd always despised how his son had treated Tyler. How his son was considering freeing and adopting him after he would have been married. This obviously never happened due to his master's untimely passing. Recently, master had believed Tyler was again forgetting his place, as he had under his son. The darkness cloaked their entry through the gate to the long driveway. Josh pulled Tyler to the barn, even though they both knew he wouldn't be staying there. "Josh, I might as well just go to him."

"And let him see you as broken? That's bullshit, Ty. Stick up for yourself somehow, even if it's just him having to come get you." This wasn't the first time he'd tried to inspire Tyler to rebel and he doubted it'd be the last. Josh feared that when the time came for them to leave, Tyler will crawl back to his place at the master's feet. Josh had to get him to be able to fight back. 

"Josh I-" they hadn't sat down in the hay by the time the master's voice shouted from the house. Tyler's body shook under the auditory boom. Josh held Tyler's hand tighter. 

"Don't go to him, Ty," Josh encouraged. "Make him come to you, please, you have to. You have to or it's going to kill what's left of you. You gotta fight back."

Tyler wanted to listen, holy hell did he want to, but that wasn't an option. It couldn't be an option. He wouldn't live to see the sun rise, he wouldn't get another chance to start again. But what if this was is last chance anyway? What if this was his last chance to fight back before he'd be dead, anyway. No, no, no, he couldn't think like that. That's how the dead ones got dead. The pitch black barn lit up with lantern and moonlight as the door slammed open. His thick grey peppered beard covered scars from the war of his day, and his black eyes were left merciless and cold from the same event. Those same eyes darted around the barn, shotgun thrown over his shoulder, whip in his strong deadly hand. "Boy," he grumbled. "Get out here." 

Tyler didn't hesitate, though he was shaking to his core. As he came into light, not ten feet from his towering master, Tyler's eyes lowered and his jaw clenched. "Nine lashings for making me come out here to get you. Then, I want you to saddle my horse while Josh - who I know 's here, by the way - can fetch the irons and chains. Now get to the post, and Josh can tie you up." 

Josh came into the light then, standing taller than Tyler who was slouching under those cold eyes. Josh lifted his gaze to the master's eyes, Tyler glanced over and silently begged for Josh to stop. "I won't." The master uncurled the whip. "I won't." The whip snapped, connecting with Josh's cheek and eye. Tyler dropped with Josh, using his body as a shield, taking his nine lashings regardless. Old hands gripped Tyler shirt and pulled his limp body upwards. Tyler's wrists felt the cold steel of the shackles in front of him, his body was weak from pain, his mind wasn't any better.

The master left him leaning against a beam while he brought the horse out of his stable. "Saddle him," he commanded. Tyler, with the difficulty of being bound, successfully saddled the stallion. When the master hooked chains up to the saddle and Tyler's cuffs, Josh began standing.

"Please," Josh spoke weakly. "Don't take him." Tyler looked back at his friend, half of Josh's face was covered in his blood and that one eye was shut. His lip was moving, in some effort not to cry out.

"This will be the last time you see each other." With that, the master mounted the horse, wasting no time they began moving. It was too fast for Tyler to do anything but sprint. His legs still tingling from his punishment, he willed his legs to keep up with the pace, failing at the gate. The master beat him for slowing them down, but after they walked. No answers were offered, only the same ringing in Tyler's ears as their had always been.

***

The grey stone walls were taller than any building man-made thing Tyler had ever seen. The gate was twenty feet high, the gate itself was slow to open. A man in black, red-lined armor took the master's papers and directed him to some courtyard. As they entered, Tyler noticed nearly every "building" was connected to another either next to or across from it. Once the turned the corner, he spotted the largest tower he'd ever seen. All of them varied in height but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the tallest. He didn't notice when they stopped moving and his shackles were being handed to a black cloaked man. The master offered no answers as the mysterious individual guided him into a small room with robed women. The robes were as grey as the walls around them, but that couldn't strip the color in their eyes. Blue, green, chocolate brown and mixed. Green eyes came towards him and removed his shackles. Her long brown hair had been tied back and her face offered only sad sympathy. "Please remove your clothes." Tyler hesitated, looking around at the many people in this small room, but followed the order nonetheless. "Underwear, too." His cheeks became rosy and he closed his eyes while pushing his underwear down. "Follow me to the bathing room," she ordered, back already turned and walking. Tyler followed through the passageway a few paces behind. His feet were blistered and his breathing had become a problem as every inhale caused agony. The air touching the wounds on his back did him no favors. He didn't need a verbal order to climb into the floor level bath water. It measured up to his waist standing, his bent his knees slowly. The water stung his back as it comforted his bruised ribs and sore muscles. The woman helped him bathe due to his injuries, followed by cutting his hair once he was out of the water.

He didn't say anything when she cut his hair. She didn't say anything when she put him in a dark grey jumper, like the men on the streets had been wearing. Neither of them had anything to say, there wasn't a point. Tyler knew what this was. He was being sold. Turns out the farm was doing worse that he had thought. His master - former master, must've needed to make a quick buck to keep up his drinking and drug habits. Soon, the black cloaked man came back, tying his wrists with rope and pulling him into the court yard. The people in grey were quiet, eyes too low to make contact with Tyler's. Not that he cared, this wasn't something he cared to be a show pony for. At the center of the courtyard was an elevated brick stage. Nine red cloaked figures stood opposite of Tyler when his eyes lifted. His heart beat out of his chest. These were the Bishops he'd heard stories of. Tyler wanted to scream but said nothing. 

In this world, he had no say. Why would he? There was nothing he could say, anyway, nothing that wouldn't lead to a beating or a hanging. He stood there, evaluated by the red cloaked Bishop. This one, hadn't said much, but he didn't need to. Somehow, Tyler knew what he was thinking, he liked Tyler and had picked him. Without the will of his own mind, his legs followed two paces behind the cloak now facing away from him. And to the towers they walked, heads hung and eyes sullen for the ignorant boy soon to lose his mind.


	2. I'm No Good Without You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated tags and characters along with warnings.

_"This will be the last time you see each other." And it was. Josh could see nothing for almost a week and a half. His vision fully returned in the eye that didn't take the lashing, the other would always cause him to run into walls and hit his head on things above him. Staring straight ahead, things would forever be blurry, and his eye would forever have a cloud of blue covering part of his chocolate iris. One day, with his impeded vision, he ran into the fence instead of seeing and climbing over it. It shocked him and alerted the master. The master, after doing away with Tyler, took a liking to make Josh suffer. Josh never stopped seeing Tyler being beaten at the gate. Not while his escape failed, not when the dogs bit into his anckles at the cruel man's request. Not once while Josh himself fell and passed out from his own punishment. _

***

Those feet and ankles that once knew the strain and thrill of the game, were now hobbled. Well, one was, and the other was tired and hardly healed but dragging the disgusting sight of the left partner behind him. Every time he looked at it, he couldn't help but gag. Josh was going to town, given money from the master's farmhand to get his ankle fixed up, saying Josh was no good to them unless he could work. Josh was supposed to go to the doctor, but he didn't, he took another road before he'd reached town to another farm.

A housemaid friend of Tyler's lived down this way, Josh knew about where she lived but had only ever seen her in town. Like their own master- or just Josh's now - she wasn't given many freedoms. She barely ventured anywhere these days since she'd had her ill fated infant. Once he was there, she spotted him in the yard and quickly ran out to him. They went out to the barn where she painfully reset his bones and fastened a makeshift splint 

Josh was so tired from the process that he was barely able to keep his eyes open by the time she was done. "Jenna," he said in a low voice.

"Yes, Josh," she answered softly, combing her hand through his curls. 

He had to muster up the energy to say anything, "Tired." 

She put a glass to his lips. After a few drinks, she lowered the glass and spoke, "Sleep here, I'll fetch a pillow and blanket, no one will find you. They're out hunting for the next two sunsets." All Josh could do was nod by the time he fell off into blackness. He dreamed of finding Tyler's corpse and his own flesh being peeled off of him while he screamed. 


	3. Can You Save My Heavydirtysoul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death inspires me like a dog inspires a rabbit.

_Tested, tested, tested. Why was he always being tested? Strings pulled his brain to sleep. He wanted sleep. He hated the tests, the tests hated him. More tests. Tests, tests...._

_The car, again, almost hit the man with yellow hair. Tyler didn't understand why the man wouldn't move, but he also didn't understand why the car wouldn't stop. Falling apart, bit by bit, there goes the car. There goes the car. The car is almost gone. Tyler can't breathe. The man is still there. He's breaking the car. He's breaking the car. A noise.. a beat. The only noise inside unnatural silent. Tyler's neck became littlered with cold skin supporting raised hair. The top is gone, Tyler can stand again and the wind... oh the wind. He can hear the wind. He can hear a beat. He'd forgotten what wind felt like, sounded like. The white noise taking over his ears. A beat. There's a beat. Tyler opens his eyes, he is staring above and there is a sky. Tyler swears he can see blue through the clouds. The beat is louder, Tyler looks ahead. Yellow hair. _

_Tyler's in front of him now. He's playing drums, like the ones Tyler used to hear before Dema. The farm and, and Josh? "Josh..," Tyler breathed, tears threatening to escape his dark eyes. Yellow hair. He dodged the other boy's foot. Sunshine blinded his vision. The man with yellow hair looks over to him and smiles. _

** _You failed._ **

Failed. He's heard it too many times, he keeps failing. Tyler is awake. It's dark. He doesn't know how he fails. How does he fail? His eyes force themselve through heavy eyelids. Piercing electricity painfully vibrates up his spine, his lungs can't hold in the air inside. Tyler screams. He can feel it. There's no noise. He screams in painful silence the electricity stops only to return with more muster. Now the tingles have turned to needles in his feet and hands. The rest of his body is a cramp. He can't even hear the buzz. 

** _A memory?_ **

_No!_ Tyler mouths cries out. He can't make a sound. The electricity ceases but his body hasn't gotten the memo, it's still jerking and Tyler can barely catch his breath. The silence is suffocating _Please... don't...._

_ **I could give you a new one.** _

Tyler's eyes flew open as his head shot up, making contact with the Bishop. Desperate, for some kind of mercy, he shook his head trying to yell in protest, again, to no avail.

His claws hurt, blood travels uninterrupted down Tyler's leg from his vertical suspension. Tyler's shoulders almost still hurt more, having been holding his suspended body for however long this lesson had gone on.

** _You are nothing. _ **

Tyler cut himself off with another muffled scream. His spine hurt with claws pressed through his skin and into bone. Pain like this was somthing Tyler hadn't known existed.

** _Nothing but mine. _ **

Tyler wanted Josh. Josh would want him to fight. He had to fight. _Remember Josh._

** _Give in, Tyler. _ **

Tyler shook his head back and forth. His legs felt paralyzed down to his feet and he felt himself tear under another bout of sharp pressure. Tyler wanted to beg for mercy, he needed it to stop.

**_You belong to me._**

_Josh_ Tyler tried to speak.

**_I AM THE ONE THING. _**Pain. So much pain. _**I AM EVERYTHING.**_ Tyler couldn't breath, he didn't want his body to move at all.

** _I can make this last._ **

Tears fell down his bruised and cut face. He shook his head.

_ **Don't force me to continue this. Embrace me.** _

***

Tyler didn't know how long everything went on. Day and night had no meaning to Tyler since he never saw the outdoors. It had been months, one handler said in passing to another, but Tyler couldn't be sure they were talking about him. He wasn't the only one here, he passed others in cages, others unable to scream and cry for mercy. Many of them looked mad. This place, this chamber of hell, it changed everyone. Even the handlers, Tyler had noticed. They'd become more sadistic as they did their service in the towers. The tower's walls were laced with poison and caked with bodily fluids. Tyler was never exactly sure was his handler was escorting him past. 

_Hold him gently. Tight now. Tight. Same method every time he had been good. He got to feel good for a minute. It was the only time. Oh, the only time and it felt good. It was good in this moment. In this moment it was getting better. It felt even better. It could be good. Tyler could be good. Nico said as much. _

His handler took him out into the sun after that. Or, what passed for the sun because there was so much smog that it only reflected the grey of Dema. The courtyard was brick and wood, Tyler couldn't walk and was wheel chair bound. He wanted so much for his feet to feel something soft, but nothing was soft so the wheel chair was fine. His handler walked over to another man in the courtyard. Tyler's eyes were still blurring from how much light they were receiving. He couldn't make out much, someone almost his height and in normal Dema clothing. The man walked up to Tyler. He had brown hair, shaved, and squinting brown eyes from a beautiful smile. He spoke but Tyler couldn't hear him, he imagined the man said hello so he nodded in response. He wished he could hear this man. The smile disappeared on the other's face and he stood. Tyler no longer gave the man any attention, he wanted to see... something... he didn't know what. He kept finding himself looking into the sky. It was like he was looking for another color? Was it? Tyler felt tired and signaled his handler as much. His handler didn't move for a moment, then began pushing the wheel chair back into the tower, down into the chamber where Tyler's cell resided. His handler helped him into the bed, even put a blanket on him. That felt strange, a kindness is what that would be called, he reckoned. It was nice, he liked it and hoped it could happen again tomorrow. 

Tyler tracked time by his hair. How long it was sort of told him he'd been here for three hair cuts, soon due for a forth. Though, Tyler must've done something wrong because no one had come to get him from his cell for a long time. Once a day, a man dropped off a fresh bucket and tray of food. He'd take the old bucket and tray, Tyler wouldn't see him again until the bucket was full and the tray long empty. No one had shaved him either, his stubble grew longer each passing feeding period. Tyler played with it, messed with it all of the time. It was getting long and stringy, lately, and to be honest it was annoying. His hair had grown shaggy, causing it to almost always look disheveled. His food contained rat pellets sometimes. Was Tyler being punished? Had he not done good, lately, and given into Nico's every request? Tyler didn't even argue with his handler anymore, who was yet to come and get him as well. 

The loneliness gripped his heart. If that was what he really felt. Nico hadn't told him what to feel, not in a while. It was confusing Tyler because he couldn't understand _a feeling _without the Bishop. Darkness behind his eyelids carried him away two more times before he was rewarded.


End file.
